Central Ontario Standardbred Association – COSAhttp://www.cosaonline.com
Representing the Interests of Horsepeople Racing at Woodbine and Mohawk RacetracksThu, 17 Aug 2017 20:09:57 +0000enhourly1WDC Day 4 Video Recaphttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/wdc-day-4-video-recap/
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 20:09:57 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7908The fourth leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship is now in the books. Go behind the scenes and see what was going on during the competition’s stop in Quebec. ...

]]>The fourth leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship is now in the books. Go behind the scenes and see what was going on during the competition’s stop in Quebec.

Canada’s James MacDonald padded his WDC lead in the fourth leg courtesy of a win, a second-place finish, and a third-place effort on Wednesday evening (August 16) at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières. For a complete breakdown of the WDC’s leg-four races, click here.

The fields are set for the fifth and final leg of the 2017 WDC. The fifth leg will take place on Friday, August 18 at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. To view the entries for the final leg, click here,

]]>As Canadian harness racing fans from coast to coast tune in to follow the 2017 World Driving Championship, driver James MacDonald has been providing updates through an ongoing video blog series on the Standardbred Canada website.

The fifth installment of the video series was recorded on Thursday (August 17), a day after MacDonald padded his WDC lead with a win, a second-place finish, and a third-place effort during the fourth leg of the competition, which took place at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Québec. For a recap of the fourth leg, click here.

To view the fields for the fifth and final leg of the competition, click here.

]]>World Trotting Conference Symposium Openshttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/world-trotting-conference-symposium-opens/
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:56:33 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7902The World Trotting Conference Symposium opened to members of the public on Wednesday with a full day of sessions, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The schedule began with a keynote ...

]]>The World Trotting Conference Symposium opened to members of the public on Wednesday with a full day of sessions, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

The schedule began with a keynote address from Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario CEO Jean Major, a regulator of gambling for the last 27 years. He said that since Ontario introduced legal casino gaming in 1992-93, horse racing has lost its “complete dominance” in provincial gambling, dropping to “less than 11 percent” of dollars wagered there annually.

Major said Ontario is moving from a prescriptive approach to a new, outcome-based way of regulating the alcohol and gaming industries.

Next, a panel discussion on the “Brave New World” of betting provided insights on wagering analytics. Dean Towers, secretary of the Horseplayers’ Association of North America, said that handle on sports betting had doubled during the same period that games of chance, like slots, were declining in popularity. Fixed-odds wagering and carryovers were two growing trends Towers identified as capturing gamblers’ interest.

Brad Cummings, founder and CEO of Equilottery LLC, said that “the problem is not the product — it’s the packaging.” He presented data showing how the quick-pick horse racing lottery game could help attract the Millennial-aged players currently lacking in the sport’s customer base.

Woodbine Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Information Technology, Chris Lush, said most of the volume on the company’s Horseplayer Interactive wagering site came from Baby Boomers. He added that newcomers “look at our tote systems and they are lost”, but a recently-introduced “Woodbine app” for mobile devices was part of company outreach to “make [wagering] more interactive, more fun.”

Christopher Schick, representing Golden Bear Racing LLC, which operates Cal-Expo Harness, focused on betting options and how they were received by the gambling public. “Each track needs a signature wager,” he said, but some offer “too many gimmicks” relative to respective pool size. Schick noted that “guaranteed pools drive handle”, while reduced takeout is unattractive to Cal-Expo’s biggest bettors, who prefer lower host fees and more rebates.

Next, equine health was front and centre.

Dr. Kathleen MacMillan, assistant professor of equine ambulatory medicine at the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island, provided an overview of some of the most common conditions affecting Standardbred racehorses. Her topics included respiratory health, fractures, and gastric ulcers.

Adrienne Herron, a traceability systems specialist, followed with a presentation about the microchipping of horses. She said that although the practice is still gaining wider acceptance in the Standardbred industry, it will be implemented as a mandatory identification measure in registered Canadian Thoroughbreds, beginning with foals of 2017. Herron said that microchipping was safe and valuable for accurate, immediate racehorse identification, as well as faster cross-border horse transport.

An afternoon panel discussion addressed the topics of medication control and research. Dr. Carolyn Cooper, director of equine drug control at the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) cautioned that “you really need to know where your compounded medications come from”, because questionable “trunk-of-a-car compounding” could result in positive tests for prohibited substances. She noted that natural health products also face “little to no regulatory oversight”.

Lydia Brooks, manager of research and analysis for the CPMA, said environmental contamination was “a challenge in the testing for prohibited substances”, because of the many possible ways for horses to come into contact with trace amounts of controlled or prohibited substances.

She said cobalt poses a threat to equine health, and was identified as a prohibited substance by the CPMA beginning in 2015. “The good news is that cobalt levels have decreased significantly since cobalt was first identified as an issue in Canada.”

United States Trotting Association president Russell Williams described the evolution of racing regulation as a response to the sport’s development as a gambling entity. The Hanover Shoe Farms chairman said there was no clear need for the National (US) Uniform Medication Testing Program in harness racing, as it would shift federal program costs to horsepeople and fail to utilize “the human capital in the regulatory system that we now have.”

In the afternoon, the Symposium featured a trio of panel discussions on ways to promote harness racing to new audiences. They followed a lunch presentation by Woodbine Entertainment’s Tom Via, who introduced plans to make Mohawk Racetrack into a “year-round mecca of North American harness racing.”

“The Facts About the Fracs” examined the topic of fractional ownership. Mats Norberg, a board member with the Swedish trotting organization Svensk Travsport, described the highly-popular Rikstravet model of sharing a racehorse. The trainer selects the particular trotter for the fractional owners, said Norberg. “One payment, all-inclusive” billing, and the ability for owners to exit a fractional group if they so choose, have helped make Rikstravet a success.

Justin Van Daele, marketing director for TheStable.ca, spoke on behalf of founder Anthony MacDonald’s Ontario-based fractional ownership group. He said that at a cost of roughly $24 a month, per share, The Stable removed the element of unwanted surprise from the cost of racehorse ownership. Live-streaming drone video on training days, and keeping in touch with owners via “chain e-mails, three to six times a week”, helps owners feel connected, added Van Daele.

Paul Ryneveld, general manager of Alberta’s Century Downs, said the track’s racing club was established, in part, to help remedy the local racehorse shortage. “The goal was to bring horses from out of the jurisdiction to the province,” he said. Ryneveld noted that a “new class of license” initially needed to be developed in consultation with Horse Racing Alberta, ensuring that “no current horse owner would be a part of the racing club” as a means of “hidden ownership.” Century Downs Racing Club purchases and manages the racing careers of its horses. In 2017, there are 94 members, each paying $250 per year.

Mike Tanner, executive vice-president and CEO of the US Trotting Association, said that while the breed registry cannot own or sell horses, it can help in other ways. He mentioned time-limited fractional stables based at Scioto Downs in Ohio, and The Meadows in Pennsylvania, although concerns that horse shares might be considered “securities” under U.S. law have made it a challenge to replicate the model of TheStable.ca.

Later, the symposium theme shifted to working with government. Don Marean of the U.S. Trotting Association stressed the importance of open communication with elected officials, and Joe Faraldo, representing the Standardbred Owners Association of New York, emphasized the value of printed materials and transparency. Gilllaume Maupas, from France’s Le Trot, drew attention to the people and horses that distinguish the racing industry from other forms of gaming today.

The Honourable J. Heath MacDonald (right), the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism for the Province of Prince Edward Island, spoke about the importance of the relationship between government and the horse racing industry, stressing that the industry has many important messages and must make sure that government has the data and information to make informed decisions.

The day wrapped up after a rapid-fire “Lightning Round” of marketing ideas from international panelists. The audience voted on their top three marketing pitches from Harness Racing New Zealand’s Edward Rennell, Standardbred Canada’s Darryl Kaplan, Adriana Spatzner of Ontario Lottery and Gaming, Johan Lindberg of Svensk Travsport, and Red Shores marketing manager Lee Drake. Results will be revealed today (August 17), when the WTC Symposium resumes at the Delta Prince Edward Island.

]]>MacDonald Carries WDC Lead To PEIhttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/macdonald-carries-wdc-lead-pei/
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:54:35 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7898Canada’s James MacDonald padded his World Driving Championship (WDC) lead with a win, a second-place finish, and a third-place finish in four tournament races on Wednesday evening (August 16) at ...

]]>Canada’s James MacDonald padded his World Driving Championship (WDC) lead with a win, a second-place finish, and a third-place finish in four tournament races on Wednesday evening (August 16) at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Québec.

His victory came behind Federal Strike ($6.10) in the evening’s second WDC event, and it took some crafty driving to overcome post 11 in the mile-and-a-sixteenth affair for trotters. The pair established second-over position behind Swedish driver Björn Goop and Abundasass nearing the midway stage, were caught in a blind switch by the three-wide Crown Point (Gerhard Mayr, Austria), but worked into the pocket on the far turn before finding room at head-stretch and lifting to a going-away win.

MacDonald began the evening with a second-place finish aboard Ninoscredit behind American Marcus Miller and Maracasso ($6.60), who emerged second-over out of traffic before sustaining a belated rally to the fore, and he concluded the card with a third-place finish up the open stretch with Winoc Jimmy behind Maltese driver Noel Baldacchino and Tidewater Tomahawk ($16.30). His lone off-the-board finish came in the night’s third tournament race, which saw Finnish driver Mika Forss reclaim second in the standings with a victory aboard ten-year-old veteran Shanghai B G ($6.10).

The fifth and final leg of the WDC is scheduled for Friday evening (August 18) at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park on Prince Edward Island. MacDonald’s 192 points give him a comfortable 26-point lead over Forss (166), while Miller (162.5) remains a close third. Defending champion Dexter Dunn of New Zealand (131) and Baldacchino (120) lifted one position each into fourth and fifth respectively, while Shane Graham (Australia), Goop, Mayr, Eirik Høitomt (Norway), Rik Depuydt (Belgium), and Mark Purdon (New Zealand) round out the field with four races remaining.

The top point-earner at the end of the five legs will be declared the 2017 World Driving Champion and win $25,000 in prize money.

The World Driving Championship – along with the 25th anniversary edition of the World Trotting Conference, to be hosted in Charlottetown – are both held every two years and will coincide with the 250th Anniversary of horse racing in Canada, and Canada 150 celebrations.

Race 1: American Marcus Miller teamed up with joint favourite Maracasso ($6.60) to capture the night’s first tournament race, sliding second-over on approach to the far turn, rallying off cover to catch Eataam Whosurboy and Austrian Gerhard Mayr, and evading a late bid from Ninoscredit and tournament leader James MacDonald of Canada for a 2:06.1 victory over a mile and a sixteenth.

Maracasso secured the pocket on the first turn behind early pacesetter Ninoscredit but was relegated to third as Imagine Speed and Dexter Dunn of New Zealand pushed clear past a :27 first quarter. After being shuffled mildly through the middle stages, Miller slid Maracasso second-over to chase the cover of Eataam Whosurboy on approach to the far turn, collaring that rival in upper stretch, and keeping Ninoscredit at bay. Eataam Whosurboy saved third after his extended uncovered bid.

“The horse on the front got worked over pretty good getting there,” commented Miller, who reclaimed second spot in the standings with the win. “He was tired, so I was able to slide out, I had a little cover up the backside, and it worked out perfectly. It was about as smooth a trip as we could have had.”

Race 2: Canadian James MacDonald used some crafty driving to overcome post 11 with Federal Strike ($6.10) in the night’s second WDC race, splitting foes in traffic on the third turn, and working into the pocket behind the middle-moving Abundasass and Sweden’s Björn Goop before pouncing off the home turn for a 2:08.1 win over a mile and a sixteenth.

MacDonald established a live second-over trip with Federal Strike nearing the midway stage, but was caught in a blind switch by the three-wide Crown Point (Mayr, Austria). As the first-over Abundasass worked clear of tiring pacesetter Kim Sopel (Rik Depuydt, Belgium) a quarter from home, MacDonald was able to work his charge into the pocket, angling out when room availed at the eighth pole and lifting to a going-away victory. Abundasass held second, while Chinnys Wings and Finland’s Mika Forss finished third.

“I never thought something like that would work out, but I landed behind Björn Goop,” said MacDonald following the win, which saw him increase his lead over American Marcus Miller to 25-1/2 points. “I knew the Scandinavian style – parked the whole way, big fields – if anyone knew what to do, he’d be the one to follow. It just worked out perfectly.”

“I knew up the backside I had lots of horse; it was just whether or not I could get some room somewhere,” MacDonald continued. “Björn kept his live the whole way; he opened up in the last turn, and I was able to get out. When I got out, the horse did the rest.”

Race 3: Finnish Mika Forss reclaimed second spot in the standings – albeit by half a point – with a pocket win aboard Shanghai B G ($6.10) in the night’s third tournament race. The pair tracked pacesetter Jolts Prayer and New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn throughout, angled off the pegs well after first-over challenger Orator (Noel Baldacchino, Malta) faded up the far side, and narrowly reached in the final stride for a 2:06.2 victory. DaVinci Seelster (Miller, USA) used a ground-saving trip to overcome a second-row start and claim third.

“The horse was feeling really good the whole time, and on that last turn, I got the feeling we could win, but on the last turn my bench (on the racebike) was broken,” commented Forss following the race.

“I wasn’t sure I won!” the Finnish driver quipped with respect to the closeness of the photo finish.

Tidewater Tomahawk sprinted to the fore a sixteenth from home, overtaking a breaking Danzig Moon and sprinting away to a 2:05.3 win over a mile and a sixteenth as the pace collapsed, while Hard Rock (Dunn, New Zealand) mounted a four-wide rally off the home turn to take second. Winoc Jimmy (MacDonald, Canada) emerged out of traffic up the open stretch to finish third.

]]>Charlottetown WDC Leg Sethttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/charlottetown-wdc-leg-set/
Thu, 17 Aug 2017 16:52:11 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7895Fields are now set for the fifth leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship, which will take place on Friday, August 18 at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park, in Charlottetown, ...

]]>Fields are now set for the fifth leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship, which will take place on Friday, August 18 at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

Eleven of the top harness racing drivers from around the globe will compete Friday during what will be the fifth and final leg of the competition. Drivers will earn points based on their finishing position, and the top point-earner will be declared the 2017 World Driving Champion and win $25,000 in prize money.

The WDC kicked off with its first leg this past Saturday (August 12) at Century Downs in Balzac, Alberta. The United States’ Marcus Miller had secured the early lead in the WDC standings after having driven a pair of opening-leg winners. For a complete recap of the first leg, click here. To view a video recap of the opening leg, click here.

The second leg of the WDC took place on Monday (August 14) at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario, where Finland’s Mika Forss took over the lead in the standings courtesy of three straight victories. For a complete recap of the second leg, click here. To view a video recap of the second leg, click here.

The third leg of the WDC took place on Tuesday (August 15) at Georgian Downs in Innisfil, Ontario, and Canadian driver James MacDonald propelled himself to the top of the 2017 WDC standings, as he overtook Finland’s Mika Forss by winning two of Georgian’s competition races. For a complete recap of the third leg, click here. To view a video recap of the third leg, click here.

The fourth leg of the WDC took place on Wednesday (August 16) at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. MacDonald padded his WDC lead with a win, a second-place finish, and a third-place finish at Hippodrome 3R. For a complete recap of the fourth leg, click here.

The Charlottetown Driving Park will be showcasing two cards (both afternoon and evening programs) of live racing on Friday. The WDC races will take place during the evening program, which carries a first-race post time of 7:00 p.m. (Atlantic)

The defending champion, New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn, represents the International Trotting Association. The World Driving Championship will also consist of the following top-ranked international competitors: Shane Graham of Australia; Gerhard Mayr of Austria; Rik Depuydt of Belgium; James MacDonald of Canada; Mika Forss of Finland; Noel Baldacchino of Malta; Mark Purdon of New Zealand; Eirik Hoitomt of Norway; Bjorn Goop of Sweden; and Marcus Miller of the United States.

The World Driving Championship and the World Trotting Conference are both held every two years. The 2017 editions of the events coincide with the 250th Anniversary of horse racing in Canada, and Canada 150 celebrations.

]]>World Trotting Conference: “Investing In Our Future”http://www.cosaonline.com/news/world-trotting-conference-investing-future/
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 18:56:09 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7891The first full day of the 25th annual World Trotting Conference took place on Tuesday, August 15 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Opening remarks from Michael MacKinnon, managing director of ...

]]>The first full day of the 25th annual World Trotting Conference took place on Tuesday, August 15 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Opening remarks from Michael MacKinnon, managing director of Red Shores Racetrack and Casino, PEI, set the tone.

“You will soon discover that harness racing is part of the fabric and culture of Prince Edward Island,” he told international delegates and observers. “Red Shores is honoured to be hosting the final leg of the World Driving Championship, along with our partners, the Province of Prince Edward Island and the PEI Harness Racing Industry Association.”

MacKinnon said Atlantic Lottery’s investment in racing at Red Shores “came out of tragic circumstance” when the historic racetrack at Charlottetown, dating back to 1888, suffered hurricane damage in 2003. It reopened as a modern racino facility in 2005, thanks to $20-million in support from the regional gaming operator.

Standardbred Canada president and CEO Dan Gall thanked Geoff Want and Andrew Kelly of Harness Racing Australia for their work in making the 2015 WTC “a dynamic conference”, setting the bar high for 2017 host Canada.

The theme of the current conference is “Investing in Our Future.” Gall said that because of an aging customer base, increased competition for the attention of younger audiences, and the long-lasting impact of losing Ontario’s Slots at Racetracks Program, it is imperative for the industry to focus on international collaborations that foster growth.

“I don’t believe that as an industry or a sport that there is anything more important as we move forward right now than investing in our future through technology, health and welfare, breeding, business development, marketing, and racing and wagering,” said Gall.

Meetings of International Trotting Association representatives addressed each of these subjects independently on Tuesday at the Delta Prince Edward. Delegates and guests later visited the University of Prince Edward Island, home to the Atlantic Veterinary College, for a guided tour.

On Wednesday, the WTC symposium opens at the Delta PEI. Members of the public who have purchased passes will attend sessions on wagering innovation, racehorse health and identification, medication rules, fractional ownership, working with government, and creative marketing. The symposium program continues on Thursday.

]]>Hat Trick For Tony Sopranohttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/hat-trick-tony-soprano/
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 17:45:50 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7886Things didn’t start out so great for Tony Soprano earlier this season considering he went through an 0-for-10 stretch, but the OSS graduate chalked up his third straight win during ...

]]>Things didn’t start out so great for Tony Soprano earlier this season considering he went through an 0-for-10 stretch, but the OSS graduate chalked up his third straight win during Tuesday’s 10-race card at Mohawk Racetrack.

Trevor Henry got away second with Tony Soprano while Cue Hall shot to the top. Henry had his charge on the move early, however, and those two battled to the quarter in :28.1 before Tony Soprano muscled his way to the lead.

Tony Soprano cruised through middle panels of :56.4 and 1:24.3 before using a :28 closing panel to win by three lengths over race favourite Charmed Life in 1:52.3. Whiskey Tax rounded out the Trifecta ticket in the $24,000 feature.

Trainer Bob McIntosh’s Robert McIntosh Stables Inc shares ownership on the four-year-old son of Kadabra-Windsong Soprano with Mardon Stables, Paradox Farm Inc and Dave Boyle. The win improved this year’s record to 3-2-3 from 13 trips to the track. The nine-time winner bumped his lifetime earnings to $469,114 with the victory.

]]>MacDonald Reclaims WDC Leadhttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/macdonald-reclaims-wdc-lead/
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 17:42:59 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7883Canadian driver James MacDonald propelled himself back to the top of the 2017 World Driving Championship standings, overtaking Finland’s Mika Forss after winning two of Tuesday night’s (August 15) five ...

]]>Canadian driver James MacDonald propelled himself back to the top of the 2017 World Driving Championship standings, overtaking Finland’s Mika Forss after winning two of Tuesday night’s (August 15) five tournament races at Georgian Downs in Innisfil, Ont.

MacDonald, who entered the third leg of the Championship in second place behind Forss, drew first blood in the evening’s first tournament event, reaching from the pocket with Shemars Lulu ($7.60) in 1:59 after stalking duelling leaders through the middle stages of the race. He also teamed up with Walk The Plank ($5.20) in the night’s third Championship race, clearing, yielding, and pulling from a clear pocket on approach to the far turn before powering to a decisive 1:55.1 victory.

In addition to his pair of wins, MacDonald notched a pair of minor placings, finishing second with Art Of The Deal behind James And Morgan in the night’s penultimate event, and saving third with Im The Man in the evening’s last race as Hetties Honey circled up from behind a contested pace to win.

James And Morgan ($40.80) gave Norwegian Eirik Høitomt his first win of the Championship, drafting in the pocket behind MacDonald and 25-1 pacesetter Art Of The Deal before reaching up the pegs in 1:57.

Hetties Honey ($15.90) took advantage of sustained pace pressure afore in the finale, circling three-wide up the far side to overtake a stalled Ken Kan Win and wear down co-favourite Waikiki Hanover (Marcus Miller, USA) for a 1:57.2 victory under Australian Shane Graham.

Forss, who slipped from first to second in the standings, was first past the post with A Boy Named Suuzz in the evening’s second tournament race, but was disqualified behind Jansen Hanover ($28.20, Miller, USA) after committing a pylon violation on the second turn.

MacDonald reclaimed command and opened up a 144-130 lead on Forss through the third leg of the five-city Championship, while American Miller closed the gap behind the top pair, with 123.5 points heading out of Ontario. Graham (97) gained into fourth spot over defending champion Dexter Dunn (93) of New Zealand, followed by Noel Baldacchino (Malta), Høitomt, Björn Goop (Sweden), Gerhard Mayr (Austria), Mark Purdon (New Zealand), and Rik Depuydt (Belgium).

The action shifts to Trois-Rivières, Que. on Wednesday, August 16, where Hippodrome 3R will host the fourth leg. After that, the drivers will head to Prince Edward Island’s Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park for the fifth and final leg of the Championship on Friday, August 18, one of the major highlights of Old Home Week.

The top point-earner at the end of the five legs will be declared the 2017 World Driving Champion and win $25,000 in prize money.

The World Driving Championship – along with the 25th anniversary edition of the World Trotting Conference, to be hosted in Charlottetown – are both held every two years and will coincide with the 250th Anniversary of horse racing in Canada, and Canada 150 celebrations.

After pressing the pace from the pegs and yielding to the pocket with a circuit to go, MacDonald and Shemars Lulu tracked an extended duel between Scarlet Saphire (Marcus Miller, USA) and I C Anastro (Rik Depuydt, Belgium) through the middle half. MacDonald was able to wedge out of the pocket in upper stretch as I C Anastro faded off the final turn, and not only lift to the lead, but hold off a bevy of stand-side challengers for a 1:59 triumph. Action Royal Grin, whom Finland’s Mika Forss drove into the runner-up spot, rallied best of any after fanning seven-wide off the home turn, and Acefourtyfouramber also closed from far off the pace, reaching third spot with Maltese driver Noel Baldacchino.

“I was lucky to get out, but when I got out, she responded,” MacDonald commented. “You get good horses in this—there’s some great drivers in there who haven’t won any races yet. It’s no knock against them; you need the right horse in the right spot. I’ve been very fortunate.”

Race 2: Jansen Hanover ($28.20) and American Marcus Miller were elevated to first after enjoying a pocket trip behind pillar-to-post pacesetter A Boy Named Suuzz, who was disqualified from a 1:55 victory for a pylon violation on the second turn.

Mika Forss, who comes off a treble at Mohawk Racetrack, controlled the terms with A Boy Named Suuzz, outpacing his ten foes through splits of :27.4, :56.4, and 1:25.2 while tracked throughout by Jansen Hanover and Miller. While Forss and A Boy Named Suuzz maintained a length of clearance over Jansen Hanover to the winning post, the pair were demoted to second – behind Jansen Hanover – after committing a mid-race pylon violation. Adamncam and Noel Baldacchino of Malta finished third. Odds-on favourite Chief Talkalot (Gerhard Mayr, Austria) finished fourth.

Race 3: Canadian James MacDonald doubled up in the night’s third tournament race with Walk The Plank ($5.20), splitting leavers to assume early command, yielding, and pulling pocket with just over five-sixteenths of the mile remaining en route to a decisive 1:55.1 score.

Walk The Plank yielded control to Cheeky Monkey and defending WDC champion Dexter Dunn of New Zealand after controlling a :28.2 first quarter, drafting through the middle stages before angling and powering clear on approach to the final turn. Federal Army and Norwegian Eirik Høitomt sustained a gradual first-over bid into second, while American Marcus Miller was able to shake free with Angels Kid on the far turn and stay on for third spot.

“He can be a bit of a handful, so I was hoping I could get there easily and get left alone, but that didn’t happen,” MacDonald said of the eight-year-old Mutineer gelding after his lifetime mark performance. “He came back to me, and when I popped him out, he was serious. I knew I had a big lead, but he was starting to lose his gait a little bit. Luckily, he pulled away by enough that it wasn’t any danger.”

Race 4: Norwegian Eirik Høitomt rode the pocket to a 19-1 upset with James And Morgan ($40.80), just reaching up the pegs to collar 25-1 pacesetter Art Of The Deal (MacDonald, Canada) in 1:57 in the night’s penultimate WDC event.

For Høitomt, the victory was his first of the tournament, closing the pocket with James And Morgan with a circuit to go and finding a seam up the inside to just nab the tiring longshot pacesetter in the final strides. MacDonald held second with Art Of The Deal, while Belgian Rik Depuydt stayed on for third with Nomatterwhen after sustaining first-over progress.

“Everything was perfect,” commented Høitomt, who has quickly adapted to driving pacers through the WDC. “It’s a little difficult, but after some races you begin to know how it works.”

Race 5: Australian Shane Graham and Hetties Honey ($15.90) circled three-wide up the far side to overtake a stalled Ken Kan Win (Forss, Finland) and wear down co-favourite Waikiki Hanover (Miller, USA) for a 1:57.2 victory in the night’s final WDC race.

After stalking comfortably from mid-division, Hetties Honey emerged up the far side and edged clear of pacesetter Waikiki Hanover upon cornering for home. Allies Gift and Noel Baldacchino of Malta stayed on wide of rivals for second, while Im The Man and Canadian James MacDonald were only able to save third up the pegs after being compromised for room on the far turn.

]]>WDC Day 3 Video Recaphttp://www.cosaonline.com/news/wdc-day-3-video-recap/
Wed, 16 Aug 2017 17:38:14 +0000http://www.cosaonline.com/?p=7880The third leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship is now in the books. You now have the ability to go behind the scenes and see what was going on ...

]]>The third leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship is now in the books. You now have the ability to go behind the scenes and see what was going on during the competition’s second full day in Ontario.

Canadian driver James MacDonald propelled himself back to the top of the 2017 World Driving Championship standings during the third leg of competition. He overtook Finland’s Mika Forss for the lead in the standings by winning two of Tuesday night’s (August 15) five tournament races at Georgian Downs in Innisfil, Ont. For a complete recap of the third leg, click here.

Prior to the third leg at Georgian, the drivers headed to Tara Hills Stud Farm in Port Perry, where, amongst other things, they were able to mingle with the great Kadabra.

The action now moves to Trois-Rivières, Que. on Wednesday, August 16, where Hippodrome 3R will host the fourth leg. The drivers will then head to Prince Edward Island’s Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park for the fifth and final leg of the Championship on Friday, August 18, one of the major highlights of Old Home Week.

The reinsmen will earn points based on their finishing position in each race and the top point-earner at the end of the five-day competition will be declared the 2017 World Driving Champion and win $25,000 in prize money.

The World Driving Championship – along with the 25th anniversary edition of the World Trotting Conference, to be hosted in Charlottetown – are both held every two years and will coincide with the 250th Anniversary of horse racing in Canada, and Canada 150 celebrations.

]]>As Canadian harness racing fans from coast to coast tune in to follow the 2017 World Driving Championship, driver James MacDonald is providing updates through an ongoing video blog series on the Standardbred Canada website.

The fourth installment of the video series was recorded on Wednesday, August 16 at Montreal Airport, in advance of the fourth leg of the WDC, scheduled for later in the evening at Hippodrome 3R, located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. MacDonald took the time to reflect on his big Leg 3 performance, which saw him climb to the top of the WDC leaderboard courtesy of a two-win performance at Georgian Downs in Innisfil, Ontario.

Trot Insider will provide live coverage from each of the WDC legs as well as comments from MacDonald throughout the five-city, six-day tournament.